Method and Apparatus for Skylight Tube

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for skylight tube have been disclosed. In one version spacing between diffusers is substantially between 0.5″ to 0.75″.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application for patent is related to U.S. Patent applicationNo. 61/431811 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Skylight Tube” filedJan. 11,2011, pending, and is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to a tube. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to a method and apparatus for skylight tube.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The environmental movement has placed more emphasis on natural lightingwith its many documented benefits. The most natural lighting is thatprovided by nature itself. However, it is often not possible to directlyuse nature's lighting to light an area. For example, an interior of abuilding may not be able to directly use nature's lighting from, forexample, a window. This presents a problem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in thefigures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a network environment in which the method andapparatus of the invention may be controlled;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a computer system which some embodiments ofthe invention may employ parts of; and

FIGS. 3-29 illustrate various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method and apparatus for a skylight tube is disclosed. In one approachan apparatus using reflective tube with insertable diffusers providesthermal insulation and light transmission. These and other embodimentsof the present invention are described in the writings and drawingsherewith.

In one embodiment of the invention, a light source, such as, forexample, a light bulb, light emitting diode, compact fluorescent, etc.is strategically placed within a flexible reflective tube to provideartificial lighting when natural lighting is not sufficient for a user.

In one embodiment the invention may be tailored to a particular clientzone. For example, in one embodiment, the exterior ambient temperaturemay lead to excessive heat loss or heat gain for an interior environmentand so in one embodiment, diffuser lenses may be inserted/removed toadjust the thermal resistance between the exterior and interiorenvironment.

In one embodiment of the invention a dome made of a material transparentto visible light (“light”) and possibly other radiation, for example,but not limited to, infrared radiation (e.g. clear polycarbonate,plastic, glass, etc.) is attached to a flashing made for example of, butnot limited to, metal.

In one embodiment of the invention the flashing may be formed into asquare type box.

In one embodiment of the invention a flange secured below the domewithin the flashing's square box may join the top end of flexible(“flex”) tubing (“tube”) to the flashing.

In one embodiment of the invention the flex tube, reflects and directssunlight to diffuser(s) below.

In one embodiment of the invention a light kit, with a light bulb socketwith mounting brackets for lighting (e.g. night time) may be placedinside the flex tube.

In one embodiment of the invention one or more diffuser lenses (forexample, 3-5 lenses) may be placed inside the flex tube depending upon auser requirement, for example, but not limited to, different climatezones.

In one embodiment of the invention a diffuser casing, for example, butnot limited to a clam shell design, may house for example, up to 5lenses.

In one embodiment of the invention a diffuser housing, holds thediffuser assembly and connects the lower end of the flex tube to theceiling, of for example, a room. The housing is secured to the ceiling.

In one embodiment of the invention a decorative ring which may bepaintable or of a variety of colors is attached to the diffuser housing.

FIG. 3 illustrates, generally at 300, one embodiment of the inventionshowing a clear dome 302 for admitting light, a flashing 304 which issecured to the dome 302 and permits mounting, for example, on a roof, areflective flexible tubing 306, which is attached to the flashing 304and when fully assembled to the diffuser housing 310. At 308 is a lightassembly that may be mounted on top of diffuser housing 310 and emitlight within the reflective flexible tubing 306. At 312 are one or morediffusers which are housed in diffuser casing 314. Diffuser casing 314is inserted into diffuser housing 310. At 316 is a ring which attachesto diffuser housing 310.

FIGS. 4-29 illustrate embodiments of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the invention, the dome/flashing assembly is:

1) The dome: square configuration, low profile, transitioned to roundflex tube.

2) The flange: make transition from square dome to round tube. Alsoserves as flex tube's top anchor to the flashing and the storagecompartment of flex tube when it is collapsed.

3) Flashing, deep draw to form dome's square box with no welds orfasteners to create a leak-proof assembly.

In one embodiment of the invention, the diffuser assembly is:

1) Diffuser is capable of holding up to 5 lenses, providing flexibilityin customization for different climate zones for best thermalinsulation, solar heat gain and light transmission.

2) Diffuser casing's clam shell design with easy-to-use latches.

3) 0.62″ of spacing between lenses creates best thermal insulation. Thisis implemented on the placing of lens #1, 2 and 3. (see Bill ofMaterials in Figure).

In one embodiment of the invention, the spacing between diffuser lensesis between 0.1″ to 1.5″.

Thus a method and apparatus for skylight tube have been described.

FIG. 1 illustrates a network environment 100 from which the techniquesdescribed may be controlled, for example the light kit. The networkenvironment 100 has a network 102 that connects S servers 104-1 through104-S, and C clients 108-1 through 108-C. More details are describedbelow.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a computer system 200 which someembodiments of the invention may employ parts of (e.g. controlling lightkit) and which may be representative of use in any of the clients and/orservers shown in FIG. 1, as well as, devices, clients, and servers inother Figures. More details are described below.

Referring back to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 illustrates a network environment 100in which the techniques described may be controlled. The networkenvironment 100 has a network 102 that connects S servers 104-1 through104-S, and C clients 108-1 through 108-C. As shown, several computersystems in the form of S servers 104-1 through 104-S and C clients 108-1through 108-C are connected to each other via a network 102, which maybe, for example, a corporate based network. Note that alternatively thenetwork 102 might be or include one or more of: the Internet, a LocalArea Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), satellite link, fibernetwork, cable network, or a combination of these and/or others. Theservers may represent, for example, disk storage systems alone orstorage and computing resources. Likewise, the clients may havecomputing, storage, and viewing capabilities. The method and apparatusdescribed herein may be controlled by essentially any type ofcommunicating means or device whether local or remote, such as a LAN, aWAN, a system bus, etc. For example, a network connection whichcommunicates via for example wireless may control an embodiment of theinvention having a wireless communications device. Thus, the inventionmay find application at both the S servers 104-1 through 104-S, and Cclients 108-1 through 108-C.

Referring back to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 illustrates a computer system 200 inblock diagram form, which may be representative of any of the clientsand/or servers shown in FIG. 1. The block diagram is a high levelconceptual representation and may be implemented in a variety of waysand by various architectures. Bus system 202 interconnects a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU) 204, Read Only Memory (ROM) 206, Random AccessMemory (RAM) 208, storage 210, display 220, audio, 222, keyboard 224,pointer 226, miscellaneous input/output (I/O) devices 228, andcommunications 230. The bus system 202 may be for example, one or moreof such buses as a system bus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI),Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), Small Computer System Interface (SCSI),Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard number1394 (FireWire), Universal Serial Bus (USB), etc. The CPU 204 may be asingle, multiple, or even a distributed computing resource. Storage 210,may be Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), hard disks (HD),optical disks, tape, flash, memory sticks, video recorders, etc. Display220 might be, for example, an embodiment of the present invention. Notethat depending upon the actual implementation of a computer system, thecomputer system may include some, all, more, or a rearrangement ofcomponents in the block diagram. For example, a thin client mightconsist of a wireless hand held device that lacks, for example, atraditional keyboard. Thus, many variations on the system of FIG. 2 arepossible.

For purposes of discussing and understanding the invention, it is to beunderstood that various terms are used by those knowledgeable in the artto describe techniques and approaches. Furthermore, in the description,for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. Itwill be evident, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that thepresent invention may be practiced without these specific details. Insome instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in blockdiagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring thepresent invention. These embodiments are described in sufficient detailto enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention,and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized andthat logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

Some portions of the description may be presented in terms of algorithmsand symbolic representations of operations on, for example, data bitswithin a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are the means used by those of ordinary skill in thedata processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of theirwork to others of ordinary skill in the art. An algorithm is here, andgenerally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of acts leading toa desired result. The acts are those requiring physical manipulations ofphysical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantitiestake the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It hasproven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, torefer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters,terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the discussion, it isappreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing termssuch as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or“displaying” or the like, can refer to the action and processes of acomputer system, or similar electronic computing device, thatmanipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic)quantities within the computer system's registers and memories intoother data similarly represented as physical quantities within thecomputer system memories or registers or other such information storage,transmission, or display devices.

An apparatus for performing the operations herein can implement thepresent invention. This apparatus may be specially constructed for therequired purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer,selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored inthe computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computerreadable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of diskincluding floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, compact disk-readonly memories (CD-ROMs), and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories(ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), electrically programmableread-only memories (EPROM)s, electrically erasable programmableread-only memories (EEPROMs), FLASH memories, magnetic or optical cards,etc., or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructionseither local to the computer or remote to the computer.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purposesystems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specializedapparatus to perform the required method. For example, any of themethods according to the present invention can be implemented inhard-wired circuitry, by programming a general-purpose processor, or byany combination of hardware and software. One of ordinary skill in theart will immediately appreciate that the invention can be practiced withcomputer system configurations other than those described, includinghand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based orprogrammable consumer electronics, digital signal processing (DSP)devices, set top boxes, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers,and the like. The invention can also be practiced in distributedcomputing environments where tasks are performed by remote processingdevices that are linked through a communications network.

The methods of the invention may be implemented using computer software.If written in a programming language conforming to a recognizedstandard, sequences of instructions designed to implement the methodscan be compiled for execution on a variety of hardware platforms and forinterface to a variety of operating systems. In addition, the presentinvention is not described with reference to any particular programminglanguage. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languagesmay be used to implement the teachings of the invention as describedherein. Furthermore, it is common in the art to speak of software, inone form or another (e.g., program, procedure, application, driver, . .. ), as taking an action or causing a result. Such expressions aremerely a shorthand way of saying that execution of the software by acomputer causes the processor of the computer to perform an action orproduce a result.

It is to be understood that various terms and techniques are used bythose knowledgeable in the art to describe communications, protocols,applications, implementations, mechanisms, etc. One such technique isthe description of an implementation of a technique in terms of analgorithm or mathematical expression. That is, while the technique maybe, for example, implemented as executing code on a computer, theexpression of that technique may be more aptly and succinctly conveyedand communicated as a formula, algorithm, or mathematical expression.Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize a block denotingA+B=C as an additive function whose implementation in hardware and/orsoftware would take two inputs (A and B) and produce a summation output(C). Thus, the use of formula, algorithm, or mathematical expression asdescriptions is to be understood as having a physical embodiment in atleast hardware and/or software (such as a computer system in which thetechniques of the present invention may be practiced as well asimplemented as an embodiment).

A machine-readable medium is understood to include any mechanism forstoring or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine(e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable medium includes readonly memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storagemedia; optical storage media; flash memory devices; devices havingmovement in matter (e.g. electrons, atoms, etc.) caused by physicalexcitation or reception of electrical, optical, acoustical or other formof propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digitalsignals, etc.) which upon reception causes said movement in matter.

As used in this description, “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” orsimilar phrases means that the feature(s) being described are includedin at least one embodiment of the invention. References to “oneembodiment” in this description do not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment; however, neither are such embodiments mutually exclusive.Nor does “one embodiment” imply that there is but a single embodiment ofthe invention. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in“one embodiment” may also be included in other embodiments. Thus, theinvention may include a variety of combinations and/or integrations ofthe embodiments described herein.

As used in this description, “substantially” or “substantially equal” orsimilar phrases are used to indicate that the items are very close orsimilar. Since two physical entities can never be exactly equal, aphrase such as ““substantially equal” is used to indicate that they arefor all practical purposes equal.

It is to be understood that in any one or more embodiments of theinvention where alternative approaches or techniques are discussed thatany and all such combinations as may be possible are hereby disclosed.For example, if there are five techniques discussed that are allpossible, then denoting each technique as follows: A, B, C, D, E, eachtechnique may be either present or not present with every othertechnique, thus yielding 2̂5 or 32 combinations, in binary order rangingfrom not A and not B and not C and not D and not E to A and B and C andD and E. Applicant(s) hereby claims all such possible combinations.Applicant(s) hereby submit that the foregoing combinations comply withapplicable EP (European Patent) standards. No preference is given anycombination.

Thus a method and apparatus for skylight tube have been described.

1. An apparatus comprising: a clear dome, said clear dome having 4mounting sides; a metal flashing, said metal flashing having an opening,said clear dome said 4 mounting sides waterproof secured to said metalflashing opening with 4 retainer bars; a flange having an opening and 4mounting sides, said flange 4 mounting sides secured to said metalflashing distal to said clear dome; a flexible reflective tube having afirst opening and a second opening, said flexible reflective tube firstopening optically coupled to said flange opening; a diffuser housinghaving an opening and a flange, said diffuser housing opening coupled tosaid flexible reflective tube second opening.
 2. The apparatus of claim1 wherein said diffuser flange is circular in shape and has a diametergreater than a diameter of said flexible reflective tube.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 further comprising a paintable decorative ring,said ring configured to be attached to said diffuser housing.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1 further comprising a diffuser casing, said diffusercasing configured to be attached to said diffuser housing.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4 wherein said diffuser casing is configured to holdone or more diffuser lenses.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein saiddiffuser casing is configured to hold two or more diffuser lenses at anadjustable distance from each other.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 whereinsaid adjustable distance is in a range of 0.5 inch to 0.75 inch.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7 further comprising a light kit, said light kitconfigured to be positioned between said flexible reflective tube firstopening and said flexible reflective tube second opening and within saidflexible reflective tube.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein saiddiffuser casing has two or more circumferentially depressed regions intowhich an edge of said two or more diffuser lenses may be inserted. 10.An apparatus comprising: a first half of a clam shell design, said firsthalf of said claim shell design having a semicircular shape and a firstrotatable clasp pivotally attached to said first half of said claimshell design and a first clasp protrusion distally located from saidfirst rotatable clasp; a second half of said clam shell design, saidsecond half of said claim shell design having a semicircular shape and asecond rotatable clasp pivotally attached to said second half of saidclaim shell design and a second clasp protrusion distally located fromsaid second rotatable clasp; a first rubber seal fixedly attached to anouter surface of said first half of said claim shell design; and asecond rubber seal fixedly attached to an outer surface of said secondhalf of said claim shell design.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 whereinsaid first rotatable clasp is adapted to contact said second claspprotrusion, and said second rotatable clasp is adapted to contact saidfirst clasp protrusion such that when said first rotatable clasp is insaid contact with said second clasp protrusion and when said secondrotatable clasp is in said contact with said first clasp protrusion saidfirst half of said clam shell design and said second half of said clamshell design form a circular shape.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11further comprising: one or more lenses, said one or more lenses circularin shape and adapted to fit a inside diameter of said circular shape.13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said one or more lenses are one ormore diffusing lenses.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein one or moreof said one or more diffusing lenses further comprises one or more tabs,said one or more tabs adapted to pull said one or more diffusing lensesfrom said circular shape.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein saidadapted to fit said inside diameter of said circular shape furthercomprises a recessed area in said first half of said claim shell and arecessed area in said second half of said claim shell.
 16. The apparatusof claim 15 wherein said first half of said claim shell and said secondhalf of said claim shell are interchangeable.
 17. A method comprising:attaching a first end of a light reflective tubing to a clear dome byusing a flange adapted to be attached to a flashing via a reflector ringand a seal; and attaching a second end of said light reflective tubingto a diffuser housing using a retaining band.
 18. The method of claim 17further comprising: inserting one or more diffusing lenses in saiddiffuser housing.
 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:attaching a decorative ring to said diffuser housing.
 20. The method ofclaim 19 further comprising: inserting into said light reflective tubinga light source powered by a source selected from the group consisting ofdirect current, and alternating current.